Engaging youth in a community-based participatory assessment process to elicit community attitudes, behaviors and preferences related to access to healthy food and safe places for physical activity

The Philadelphia Urban Food and Fitness Alliance (PUFFA), a grantee of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Food & Fitness initiative, undertook a comprehensive assessment to ascertain the community's attitudes, behaviors, barriers and preferences related to access to healthy, affordable food and safe places for physical activity. Grounded in CBPR methodology, the Evaluation Team, consisting of community and academic members, developed multiple assessment strategies designed to engage youth in the process. In partnership with the Evaluation Team, a community-based organization in each of four neighborhoods of interest recruited and supervised youth during the process. Youth were trained to conduct a survey with adults in their neighborhood, and to assess local parks and playgrounds. Youth also participated in a Photovoice project to document what helps and prevents them from eating healthier and being more physically active. More than 50 youth participated in at least one component of the assessment completing 667 surveys and 26 playground assessments. Four Photovoice projects were completed and presented by participants to other youth and the full PUFFA Alliance. Using triangulation, the Evaluation Team identified common themes across all Photovoice projects. Common themes and recommendations included community cleanliness and safety, creating community gardens in vacant lots, creating opportunities for family-oriented activity, enforcing existing regulations, equity among neighborhood walkability and facility conditions, and community organization. Thematic priorities were integrated into an eight year action plan for Philadelphia to create system and policy changes that improve access to healthy food and safe places for physical activity.